Cody: Bastion (Wartortle), Colossal (Pupitar), Cortez (Lampent), Antonia (Skarmory), Elesa (Zebstrika), Mars (Diglett)

Heather: Somnos (Poliwhirl), Feathers (Pidgeotto), Nadine (Nidorina), Bella (Oddish), Smaug (Vibrava), Crescent (Lunatone)

Chapter 50: The Heart of a Dragon

"I seriously don't get this girl," Cody said into his phone. Though they were out in the wilderness, he was getting enough bars to talk with Laurence while the group was on break. He was alone in the clearing, excluding Colossal, who stood next to him under the shade of the trees. The Pupitar was stoic as always, just enjoying the cool breeze. Cody was a bit more agitated, however.

"Me neither. I've seen her pictures. How did a piece of ass like that fall for a chump like you?" his friend joked.

"A chump who just beat a gym with two pokémon to spare?" he shot back with pride.

"Ashlin's gym is easy-mode right now and you know it."

"Whatever. And if you refer to Brooke as a 'piece of ass' again, I'll literally stick my foot up yours... then again, you might enjoy that a little too much."

"Classy. But really, what's there to get? She flirts with you, kisses you, and shares her weed with you... Call it a hunch, but I'm pretty sure she digs you, dude."

"But I told you," Cody continued, ignoring the sarcasm, "she doesn't want anything serious. That's what she told me and-"

"And what?" Laurence interrupted. "I've said it before and I'll say it again: hooking up is a thing. Trainer culture is all about hooking up. I'm not kidd-"

"Are you sure that's it not just a you thing?"

"Dude, what would you know? I know you've never slept with anybody. You've been hanging out with Heather and the choir boy for the past year, so I doubt you ever had much of a chance. So of course, you haven't seen it. But let me tell you, I've gotten it all over and you can too. This girl probably wants the-"

"And I've told you that she's tired of being in bad relationships. That's what she told me, so-"

"So, she's probably experienced. Maybe she can teach you a thing or two. My first time was awkward as fuck, so maybe if she knew what she was doing-"

"Laurence!"

"Okay, look, dude, I know you. You're a good guy, but you never make the first move You didn't with Angie and I know you didn't with Heather. So maybe you do that this time? Next time you're alone with her, just go for it. Push it as far as you can. And if she tells you to stop, then stop, but I guarantee you that she won't."

"Uh..." Cody sat down next to Colossal and gave the pupa a few hard pats on the shell, eliciting a hum from the rock-type. "I can't do that. Maybe you're right, but I don't want to screw this up. This isn't some girl that I'm just going to leave behind after a one night stand. I actually like her."

There was a pause before Laurence finally began speaking again. "Fine then. Do what you want. But you need to take some chances. You're only young once, you know?"

"How's the training?" Cody asked, deciding to change the subject. "It's all going well on my end, save the Venipede."

"I've been kicking ass, as usual. The Cerebral Badge though... it's gonna be rough. Next to the Terra Badge, they say it's one of the hardest badges to win in this region, regardless of what tier you fight at. Veronica Lee was the best for a reason."

"You have a Machoke. Flex could probably down at least two of them, right?"

"Maybe. Flex is strong and smart, but you know how gym leaders are: they know how to deal with elemental disadvantages. Plus, Veronica or whoever I'm facing in her stead probably has a Girafarig for the match up. Maybe you let me borrow that Lampent of yours?"

"Yeah right, Cortez won't listen to you," Cody chuckled. "He barely even listens to me."

"Fair point. Lady Blaise is getting even stronger though. Money says she can tank anything this gym can dish out."

"Yeah, your Camerupt is a monster. You'll do fine." He smiled at Colossal and nodded. "I'll do fine too."

"Hey, I'll call you back. I got a trainer here giving me the eyes. Battle time."

"Alright, good luck. I'll call you later. Bye."

Once hanging up, Cody shook his head. Laurence was no help with Brooke. If he was in Cody's place, he probably would have gotten with her by now. But Cody didn't have the confidence. Laurence was right about one thing though: Veronica Lee or one of her stand-ins would not be a pushover like Aagni was. Like Hornsby, the Crystal Cliffs gym leader had decades of experience and wisdom, and if that wasn't enough, she was one of the most decorated champions in the past century. She was who he needed to focus on: not Brooke, not the Brotherhood, who had been silent for awhile now, and definitely not the voice in his nightmares.

But that day, he was taking a break for the sake of culture. Every great trainer educated himself on trainer culture in general and what other trainers did to reach success, and that was why he detoured to visit Solomon's Pit. Little did he know that this visit would prove valuable to him in ways far beyond simple education.

He gave Colossal's shell another pat and the pupa responded with a low hum.

"Let's find the others."

They stood at the edge of a cliff that dropped straight down five hundred feet into a valley. But it wasn't a true valley at all. From where the girls and himself stood, they could see the cliff extending around in a circle that appeared to be several miles in diameter. And since the cliff was sheer all the way around the valley below, it was more like a pit. Below, there were plenty of trees covering the earth and far off in the distance, there was a cluster of small buildings where the dragon tamers gathered. And though he could barely see it through the trees, there was a shimmering pool far in the distance within the thicket that was considered one of the holiest places in the pit.

"It's beautiful," Heather whispered in breathless awe.

"It is," Cody agreed, standing behind the girls with his Pupitar at his side. "They say that three thousand years ago, Solomon, a Salamence of gargantuan size, came to this place in Skitrex with a thousand mates. Together, they dug this pit, turning it into a nest of ten thousand eggs. From that day forth, the Bagon spread forth across Skitrex, and while they are no longer as common as they used to be, there is no place within this region where it is impossible to find a Bagon. Those who find Bagon are said to be blessed by Solomon the Salamence himself." He paused as he enviously remembered that Jared had a Shelgon. He remembered the day they found him as a Bagon, but since Jared saw it first, he claimed the right to capture it. If only he had seen it a few seconds earlier... but he didn't need the blessing of an ancient dragon to do well, even if that was cool. "The Aekoa Dragon Clan of Skitrex considers Solomon's Pit to be holy ground and it is recognized by clans worldwide as such. After all, there are few dragon-types in Skitrex that weren't introduced by humans, but Solomon chose this place to make his nest. It is here where Skitrexian dragon tamers begin their training and where they end their days."

"Wow…" Brooke breathed softly as she continued taking in the view. "How do you know all this?"

Cody chuckled. "A good trainer always educates himself on-"

"Oh my God, Brooke, he's reading a pamphlet," Heather interrupted. Both girls looked back to see that Cody was indeed holding a pamphlet that he hurriedly shoved back into his pocket.

"So… how do we get down?" Brooke asked, scanning the area around where they stood. "There are no roads. None that I can see at least."

"That's right," Cody affirmed. "This place is relatively untouched. They have a small pokémon center down there, but it's pretty primitive otherwise. Something about keeping the place pristine, I believe. The only way to enter is via a flying-type pokémon, a helicopter, or one of the sidewinding trails. Of course, the helicopter is only used for airlift emergencies and there are no trails near us, so..." He cupped his hands and let out a piercing screech, imitating one of his favored pokémon.

"SKREEEEEEE!" Antonia screeched in return and she arrived by his side in a matter of seconds. He had let her out to hunt during their hike, but now that her belly was full, she was back at her trainer's side, nuzzling against his chest with her iron head.

"Wait…" Heather began with uncertainty, "you're not considering-"

"Yes, I am," he interrupted, rubbing his Skarmory's neck. "It'll only be a second. She'll fly us down in two trips. It'll be easy since we don't have our gear with us." He had thought ahead, having the group leave their stuff in a motel at the town a few miles away, which they had reserved for a second night. "I'll go both times so she doesn't decide to buck either of you off, and-"

"Actually, I'm with Heather on this," Brooke interjected, obviously concerned, as her voice and expression were fearful. "She won't even let me touch her. What makes you think she'll let me sit on her?"

"I'll get on first and then you get on after me. She won't try anything dangerous when I'm on her. And she's definitely strong enough to carry two of us at a time. Hell, she could carry three of us if her back was big enough to fit us. So…" Without warning, he called Colossal back to his ball and jumped on Antonia's back. "Who's up first?"

There was a brief silence as the two girls contemplated their possible demise. Heather had her arms crossed and she would definitely say no. Thankfully, Cody banked on Brooke to say yes, and his gamble paid off.

"Okay, I'll do it. She won't kill me if you're on board, right?" She didn't look so convinced though. Her tan face seemed to pale some as she approached the Skarmory.

"Eh, probably not," Cody chuckled. "I promise, we'll be fine." He held out his hand, she took it in a firm grip, and she hopped onto the Skarmory's back. Like the first time Cody ever mounted the Skarmory, his pokémon looked back at Brooke with an annoyed stare.

"Easy girl. You bite her and you're spending a week at the research center," he threatened.

"Scraaa," his bird scoffed as she looked forward again.

"Okay, so what now?" the blonde girl asked uneasily, wrapping her arms around his torso.

Nice, he thought to himself. But he remained cool. "Okay, keep holding on. When she flies, we'll-"

"SKREEEEE!" Again, like the first time Cody flew with her, his Skarmory started running towards the edge of the cliff. Cody's muscle memory took over and he leaned forward and clutched his bird's armored neck. Of course, Brooke's grip tightened around him like a Bewear's hug and she let out a scream that would match Antonia's in volume. When she leaped into flight from the cliff's edge, she flew straight down in free fall. Brooke kept screaming, but Cody was too caught up in the thrill as Antonia flew towards the earth below. He knew they'd be fine, but it was likely that Brooke would hate him after this.

"Just keep holding on!" he shouted. And just before they hit the ground, his Skarmory arced upward, slowing their momentum as her speed worked against gravity. From there, they slowed and Antonia flew in a lazy circle around the tree tops before falling again and hovering above a soft patch of grass. It was there where Antonia did something a bit unprecedented: she bucked both of them off into the grass and landed by their side. She had never bucked Cody before, but it was because of Brooke that she did it. She at least had the decency to launch them into something soft. Now, she was glaring at Brooke, and if she had a mouth, she'd probably be wearing a smug smile.

"You are such a bitch," Cody laughed at his bird, pushing a few blonde strands of hair out of his eyes as he sat up. He was probably encouraging the bad behavior at this point, but he couldn't help but be amused by his pokémon's attitude. She no longer scared him like she used to, so he knew he was never in any danger. Antonia came over and prodded her head into his foot, asking for him to stand up, but he turned to Brooke, who was breathing heavily and staring at the clouds. Her body was stiff and her face was white-washed; the poor thing was traumatized.

"You okay?" he asked, taking her unmoving hand. "I told you she wouldn't kill us."

Still breathing hard with exhaustion, she turned her head slightly towards him. "Yeah, n-never better. "Can w-we please t-take the path next time?"

"Awe, that's no fun." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before standing up and helping her to her feet. "You did great. Please don't hate me."

"Well, I can say that I survived a crazy Skarmory, so I guess that's something," she sighed, beginning to catch her breath. "She looked up at the cliff where Heather was looking down. She was shouting something, but her voice wasn't carrying. "Do you really think she'll ride down after that?"

"She better, or she'll have to walk because I'm not waiting up for her," Cody answered with a chuckle. Looking back at Antonia, who was still glaring at Brooke, he snapped his fingers to get the iron bird's attention. "You better behave yourself with the next flight down."

"Skraa," his bird grunted with disdain. She probably wouldn't, but at this rate, Heather had no choice.

The forest within Solomon's Pit seemed to have a different feel than most of the forests they had passed through before. The trees almost seemed to shimmer sunlight. The region of Skitrex cared a lot about the environment, but perhaps these trees were somehow more pristine in the Pit? But there was an obvious difference that separated this forest from the others, and that was the Bagon. There were many Bagon in the Pit; more than the group had ever seen in one place. Bagon could be found almost anywhere in Skitrex (although very rarely), but the Pit was full of them, The tiny, blue dragons with stiff as steel heads were milling about all over the place, mostly ignoring the trio and their pokémon. Goro would occasionally chase a few of them, but the Pancham would never go too far. And even he knew better than to annoy the occasional Shelgon and Salamence that napped in the shaded groves. The bigger dragons were a sight to behold, but the trainers knew better than to disturb them.

"This is incredible," Heather breathed as they passed another Bagon cluster. "I'm so glad we came here."

"It's cool, right?" Cody agreed, pulling the crumpled brochure from his pocket. "It says here that this environment is perfect for Bagon. No predators, for example. Plus, the cliffs serves as part of their development. Did you know these things launch themselves off cliffs trying to fly? That's hilarious, but it's good for them, I guess." He withheld a small gasp as he saw another Bagon pass them in the clearing. This one was green, its skin shimmering in the sunbeams. But he resisted the urge to pull up a pokeball. "Unfortunately, the land is owned by the clan and only clan members are permitted to catch pokémon here. Anybody who's caught poaching pays for it dearly."

"Seriously?" Heather huffed, putting away the pokeball she drew on reflex. "A shiny pokémon literally runs into us and we can't catch it."

"Rawr!" The green Bagon let out a tiny roar as it waved its minuscule arms at them. When that failed to intimidate them and Colossal hopped in front of the group to face it, the tiny dragon fearfully ran into the thicket.

"I would have let you have that one too," Cody said, shrugging. It only seemed fair, having caught the last shiny pokémon they found.

"Damn it…" she sulked for a moment. "Now I almost wish we didn't come."

"Hey, don't be like that, it's a good day!" Cody exclaimed, stretching his arms out.

"So…" Brooke began, scooping her Pancham up as he returned to her side, "we're allowed to be here, right? Even if we don't catch a Bagon, they won't get pissy about us being here?"

"Brooke, why would they have brochures about this place in the pokémon center's lobby back in town if we weren't allowed to be here?" Cody asked, opening the brochure again to summarize another section of it. "Solomon's Pit welcomes all trainers who respect people, pokémon, and the sacred grounds. All they ask is that we be respectful and not act like assholes. So we'll go in, see the sights, ask some educational questions, battle a few dragon tamers, and then we leave. Maybe we get a souvenir if they have any, but I do want to battle. There is a Dragon gym out in The Maiden Isles, you know, so experience couldn't hurt." He doubted it would make much difference since he probably wouldn't make it to the Isles for another year or so, but all the experience would add up. "That gym used to be here, but I guess they didn't like all the additional traffic."

"Yeah, I almost forgot," Heather said, opening up her Vibrava's ball. The bug-like Dragon fluttered above them with its four wings, humming. "I guess since we're here, Smaug should be out and about. It'd probably be good for him to be around other dragons."

"Good thinking," Cody told her. He did kind wished he had a dragon. If only he was able to buy one of those Swablu back at the Moss Creek Festival. They weren't dragons, but their evolved forms were.

"How do these clans even form?" Brooke asked as they continued their stroll through the woods. "How do you even become a dragon tamer?"

"I'm not sure," Cody admitted. "Anybody can train dragons, but to become a member of a dragon clan… I think a lot of the members are born into it. Sometimes, young trainers with promise are accepted into clans, but usually, older trainers are not accepted? Maybe they want to indoctrinate them?"

"You seem to know a lot about this," Heather commented, shooting him a sly glance. "You want to be a dragon tamer, Cody?"

"I thought about it, but with eight pokémon and none of them dragons, I think I'm a lost cause," he laughed. "It doesn't matter. Dragons aren't so scary if you have an ice or fairy type. Huh… I need to get on that." Again, he remembered those fairy-type Swablu and cursed his luck. A dragon-fairy Altaria would have killed quite a few birds with one stone, but again, nowhere to move but forward. In forward was one of the most historic places in all of Skitrex.

By then, they reached the tamer's town. "Town" was a generous word to describe the place, as there were only a few buildings, most of which looked residential. There was a pokémon center and a small food market, but otherwise, the place was very off the grid. The buildings themselves looked old, as most of them were built with fine stones, making them almost look like small castles. The paths were also made of gray stones that cobbled the way. Among these buildings were many tall trees that offered ample shade. But the dragon tamers themselves were what stood out in that town.

The residents that the trio passed ranged in age from five to ninety-five, many of them wearing very simple clothes, while a few were dressed in traditional dragon tamer garb. The latter wore suits of thick, colorful material with long, flowing capes. Cody remembered seeing some female tamers on TV in the past wearing more revealing outfits, but with autumn upon Skitrex, it was practical to dress warmly.

Among these trainers that they passed, there was a multitude of dragons. Nearly every trainer they passed had some sort of creature accompanying. Some were pokémon with dragon typing, such as Dratini, Druddigon, and even more Bagon. But those weren't the only pokémon present, as dragon tamers loved diverse lineups. Other pokémon that they saw were not dragon-types, but considered by many to be dragons nonetheless. An elderly tamer sat with his ancient Charizard under a tall willow and nearby and a young tamer played with his Grovyle off near a distant building.

The group passed in silent awe of this little town that looked to be straight out of a fairytale, but they couldn't help but feel watched. That was probably because every person they passed stared at them. These stares weren't angry or curious; just probing in the most uncomfortable way.

"Uh… you sure we're allowed to be here?" Heather asked, moving slightly closer to the group as they walked. "They don't look too happy to see us."

"Of course we are. Maybe they don't see a lot of outsiders," Cody figured out loud. Getting to the little town was quite an endeavor, so of course, outsiders would be uncommon. But he was starting to have his doubts, as the looks they received were getting to him. When they finally reached the center of town, he reached the apex of discomfort when an entire group of a half dozen young dragon tamers stopped their conversations just to stare at them. One of them, a teen with spiky, black hair, gave them a glare so icy, it would probably down a Dragonite.

"Okay, on second thought…" Cody was about to turn the group around, but the tamer approached them.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing? You're not supposed to be here!" the black hair boy shouted, his voice matching his glare. As he approached, Colossal moved to the front of the group to assess the threat, but Cody motioned for his pokémon to relax. Meanwhile, Heather stood by his side, her Vibrava sitting on her back, while Brooke and Goro stood in the back.

"What are you talking about?" Cody asked calmly, although he was rattled by the sudden harassment.

"You. Are. Not. Supposed. To. Be. Here." The tan, black-haired boy was right in his face now. He looked to be about Cody's age. Maybe a bit younger, but the non-tamer didn't focus his analyzation on age. He was still trying to figure out what he did that riled the trainer up so much.

"I'm sorry," he said, scrambling to pull the damaged brochure out of his pocket. "I thought that Solomon's Pit allowed outsiders to visit as long as they-"

"Not today, you're not! This is the first day of Ascension! It's a holy day among our clan and outsiders are not welcome!"

"What? I didn't read-"

"Check the back of that brochure, numbskull."

Cody turned to the back, and sure enough, at the bottom of the page, there was a short list of days that year when Solomon's Pit was closed to visitors. Sure enough, September 20th was one of them. He felt his face flush as he realized that he overlooked one of the most important details of the brochure. As much as he wanted to see Solomon's Pit, he didn't want to disrespect the dragon clan.

"Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"That doesn't change the fact that you disrespected our land and our people, you-"

"Okay, enough," Heather said, finally stepping up between the two of them. She no longer looked uncomfortable, but a little bit pissed. "Look," she said to the tamer, "he made a mistake. I've traveled with Cody long enough that I would never want to disrespect your clan. We'll just lea-"

"No, you're not going anywhere," he said, refusing to step back. "Not yet."

"Come on, Jace. Let them go already," another young trainer, a girl with a blonde pixie cut, said, touching his shoulder. "This is clearly a misunderstanding."

His name is Jace? What kind of a name is Jace? That sounded like a douchebag's name to begin with, Cody thought to himself.

"No, we have to make an example of them. If we can't defend this place, can we really be called dragon tamers?"

Cody could sort of see where this kid was coming from. He clearly cared about his clan and their land, but he seemed to be one of those stereotypical hotheads that Cody had no patience for, and he was already on his last nerve.

"Look, you're blowing this out of proportion," Brooke said calmly. "Maybe-"

"Of course, I wouldn't expect somebody like you to understand," Jace cut in, getting up in Brooke's face. "I can pick out a bad trainer from any lineup, and you are definitely-"

"Okay, you need to back off," Cody interrupted, inserting himself between Brooke and the tamer. The way the guy was talking to Brooke really pissed him off, but since he was already trespassing, he did his best not to lose his temper and get himself in even more trouble. "This is all on me. Whatever repercussions there are, leave Heather and Brooke out of it."

There was a silence after that. Perhaps Jace hadn't expected the trespassers to be so amicable. By now, more locals of various ages had come to see what all the noise was about, but none of them spoke.

"Look…" the blonde girl tamer spoke up. "How about we drop this? Again, this was a clear mis-"

"Audrey, shut up, Master Kaida is watching!"

Holy shit, did he say... Cody slowly turned his head in the direction that Jace was looking to see an elderly woman among one of the groups of tamers, staring at them from the other side of the square that connected to one of the dirt roads in the town. She stood there in silence, looking neither angered nor irritable by the outsiders' presence.

It was her. It was definitely Kaida Azuma, flanked by two elite dragon tamers, one man and one woman. Sure, she was a lot older than the pictures of her from when she was famous, but Cody could recognize her face nonetheless. He figured that she had to be in her nineties by now. The old woman stood there in the distance, dressed in a simple, gray, Japanese kimono, barely five feet tall, her face set with wrinkles and her long, white hair pulled into a bun. He knew she resided in Solomon's Pit, but he assumed he wouldn't have seen her; that she would have been meditating off in a cave somewhere or something and not just walking about outside.

He couldn't remember the year or how old she was when it happened, but Cody knew that sometime when she was a teenager, Kaida won the Diamond Beach Tournament, becoming the first Japanese-Skitrexian to do so. After five years of training around the world (the maximum amount of time allotted before her opportunity to challenge the league expired), she challenged the league, beating each one of the Elite 4 members in best of threes without dropping a match. She ultimately lost to the champion after a grueling five matches in a best of five, but her performance was so dominant that she was eventually offered a position as an Elite 4 member. For the next four years, no challenging trainer made it to the champion, because Kaida 2-0'd each trainer she faced by a wide margin. When the council granted her a second chance to challenge the league, she won and remained champion for seventeen years. When she was finally dethroned, she remained in the league as a member of the Elite 4 for a time before becoming Skitrexian's dragon gym leader and the Aekoa Clan's Dragon Master. She had been largely retired from training for some time, but she continued to act as the leader of her clan. And then, there she was, watching this situation in the square. Cody hoped that if he could have met such a prominent and respected trainer, it would have been under less embarrassing conditions.

"We will battle you three," Jace ordered, a cocky grin emerging on his face. "Our three strongest dragons versus three pokémon of your choosing. We will prove to Master Kaida that we can defend this place from disrespectful intruders. And when we win, you will leave this place and never return."

"Or, you can let us leave right now and we can skip this whole mess," Heather suggested, but the tamers seemed to ignore her.

"Jace, you know you don't actually have the authority to banish people, right?" Audrey asked, but he didn't respond. He seemed to be in full-throttle action mode.

"Yeah, you probably don't want to battle me," Brooke cut in awkwardly. "I'm not very go-"

"Fine," Jace interrupted impatiently. "Just you two," he continued, pointing at Cody and Heather. "You two versus Audrey and myself."

"Hey, don't drag me into this," Audrey protested, irritated with her sudden inclusion.

"You will do it for our Master. We must prove that we can defend this place!" Jace ordered.

"Okay, you're on," Cody agreed. He gave Colossal a pat on the shell. "You ready?"

"Hoooooome!" the pupa eagerly hummed.

"Hey, is this such a good idea?" Heather whispered to him. "Not that I didn't want to battle today, but maybe we should just get out before we get in any more trouble."

"He invited us to battle when we just wanted to leave. That's on him." His attention briefly turned to Heather's Vibrava who was comfortably latched to her back. "Use Smaug. This is the dragons' land."

"Right." Heather's Vibrava over to the Pupitar's side, ready to fight. Jace had already released his Druddigon, a violent looking beast with a rocky, blue hide, a pointed, red cranium, and two wings that were largely vestigial wings. Audrey released a Noibat, which looked like a fluffy, purple bat with ears that looked like tiny speakers. The bat-dragon looked far less intimidating than its much larger battling partner, but it was hard to judge how strong either of them would be.

There was a battling plot right next to the center of town, so the four trainers and their pokémon went there while the rest of the people and pokémon surrounded the perimeter, including Master Kaida, although she stood with her elite away from most of the crowd.

Must be a slow day if this is the highlight. Isn't today supposed to be a holiday or something? But he spoke of other matters."One pokémon each. Last team standing wins. Do we want to place any money on this or is this some sort of grudge match?" Cody asked. Normally, he would ask for a wager, but he wasn't sure if this was the appropriate time or place.

"You know what? Yeah, let's do that," Jace grinned, almost smug. "$100 each."

"Jace, I don't have that much on me right now," Audrey told her partner.

"Relax, I'll cover you. This will be a cakewalk," he replied before looking back at his foes. "Let's begin in three... two, one, go!"

Each trainer shouted their first orders simultaneously and the show began. Cody and Jace had the same idea, both ordering a Take Down from the beginning. The collision of Colossal and the Druddigon made an ear piercing "pop" noise. The two flew backward, though the gargoyle-like dragon seemed to get the worst of it. Immediately, the Druddigon moved forward again, attempting a Chip Away, but was each one of his claw strikes was countered by the Pupitar's Thrash and the pupa got in several hits of his own.

Smaug was having an easier time with the Noibat. The bat-dragon was clearly not on the same level as Vibrava. It kept throwing out Air Cutters, but Smaug had had enough experience training with Heather's Pidgeotto that he knew how to deal with the attacks. The more experienced dragon dodged every strike before blowing a frothy Dragonbreath into the foe's face.

"Body Slam!"

"Revenge!"

"Harden!"

Colossal reinforced his already sturdy form and absorbed the Druddigon's uppercut. Cody was impressed with his foe. The dragon was definitely stalwart and intelligent, having incredible adaptation, but Colossal was still more experienced. It really seemed that Jace had bitten off far more than he could chew, thinking that the interlopers were weaker than they actually were. He hadn't even asked them how many badges they had. That was usually a rough indicator of skill, after all.

"Audrey, I need some help over here!" Jace shouted in a panic.

"Right! Supersonic!"

The bat screeched at Colossal in such a way that the Pupitar flinched and took a Dragon Claw head on. He looked a little queasy as his eyes closed and he tried to orient himself. Confusion was going to limit the communication between trainer and pokémon until the effects wore off. He'd have to keep things simple, and as the foes turned to face the less prone Vibrava, Cody and Heather had the same idea at the same time.

"Sandstorm!"

Both pokémon cried out, summoning the soil of the battlefield to rise, spin, and whip about. To them, the sands were harmless, but not to their foes, especially the Noibat, who could barely fly straight. The Druddigon could stand strong, but the longer the battle went, the less favorable the results would be for it.

"Sand Tomb!"

The Vibrava began flying in fast circles, creating a small sand-filled tornado. The swirling winds easily ensnared the Noibat, but not the Druddigon, who fought through it. He managed to get a few claws in on the Pupitar, and this time, Colossal couldn't do much about it. Under the confusion, all of his hits and blocks missed. He could endure the abuse, but he needed another tactic aside from using Harden.

"Magnitude!... Magnitude!... Come on, bud! Magnitude!"

It took several attempts and several hits later for Colossal to realize that his trainer was calling on him. He finally hopped, coming down with an earthshaking thud. It was a good tactic, as in his state, he wouldn't have to aim the miniature earthquake. The Noibat and Vibrava weren't hit, on account of being airborne, but the Druddigon was knocked back. By now, the enemy Noibat looked like it was about to collapse, and in trying to flee, the Vibrava wrapped its legs around it and held it in its clutches as it kept itself in the air with its diamond-shaped wings.

"You thinking what I'm-" Heather began to ask her partner, but Cody beat her to it.

"Dark Pulse!"

His Pupitar released a Dark Pulse that blasted into the restrained Noibat. Smaug took a bit of the blow as well, but he was barely phased. The bat, however, was knocked out and recalled to its ball.

"Damn it, Audrey!" Jace cursed. Through the whirling sand, Cody could see the sweat on the dragon tamer's face. "Dragon Tail!"

"Stone Edge!" Cody shouted. What came next actually surprised him. Instead of pulling a jagged stone out from under his enemy, Colossal pulled up a stone underneath him, rising ten feet in the air on an earthen pillar. The Druddigon didn't react quickly enough, slamming his tail against the stone instead, shattering it. Not only did he miss his target, but the heavy pupa fell onto his foe below him in a descending tackle. Unhurt by the crash, Colossal bounced off just in time for Smaug to unleash a nasty Dragonbreath right in the gargoyle-dragon's face. Blinded, the Druddigon took a blind swipe and missed. Colossal capitalized, smashing into his foe from the side with a Rock Slide. Tough as the enemy was, he wasn't tough enough to endure the last hit.

Once the foe fell, the Sandstorm subsided. Cody looked around to see that none of the spectators had reacted. They all remained stone-faced, neither upset nor joyful in the result. Even Audrey didn't look all that upset over the loss, but then again, she wasn't all that into the fight to begin with and she was playing with the house's money. Jace, however, looked distraught, holding his head and breathing heavily. Cody completely forgot why he was even fired up at the other boy to begin with. The battle was just a good way for him to cool down.

"Hey, good match," he said as he walked over, airing on the side of caution. Jace looked very emotional, so he didn't want to sound condescending or anything.

"I don't… I don't under-" He looked up and glared at the victors. "How did you win so easily?"

A lot of possible answers to that question crossed Cody's mind. The fact that Heather and himself knew each other well enough to coordinate in battle? The fact that their pokémon were well trained? The fact that good as they were, their foes were outclassed.

"Look, just give us the money we won and we'll leave," Cody answered flatly. He considered letting the fee slide, but after all that hassle, he decided against it. "We don't want any more trouble."

"Fine." He handed Cody the money. "How many badges do you have?" Jace asked, finally catching his breath.

"We both have five," Cody answered, giving Colossal a pat on the top of his blue shell. The battle may have been tough, but his pokémon looked as though he was eager for more, humming softly in contentment.

"Damn, I only have three," the tamer said in dismay, realizing that it was a question he should have asked earlier.

"There is no shame in losing to a trainer who is stronger than oneself, but to underestimate one's opponent is a dire decision."

Cody looked over to see that the elderly Master Kaida had approached them, her elite dragon tamers still at her side. He shuddered slightly at the new arrival, unsure of what she was doing. Even though nobody else seemed too upset over their presence, perhaps, Kaida was going to punish his group for some reason? He hoped not. At that point, he just wanted to leave.

"Master Kaida, forgive me. I failed," Jace said, kneeling before her, although the woman was so short that this action practically put them at eye level. Audrey knelt as well behind him.

"You did what you thought was right, but you acted in rash arrogance. Let that be a lesson to you," the gray-haired woman answered in a tone that was not scolding, but encouraging. Touching the boy's head, she nodded. "Now go. Ready your pokémon for the Ascension."

"Yes, Master." Standing and not paying Cody a second glance, Jace went to attend to his Druddigon, who was beginning to make it to his feet.

Okay, just slip out. Cody was about to turn away, but he was stopped by Kaida's voice.

"Stop," she ordered. She walked over to Cody and Heather, both of whom froze in fear. It was a funny thing, being so afraid of a frail, elderly woman, but they both knew who she was and what she was capable of.

Kaida walked over to Cody and looked him from head to feet. She did the same to Heather. Then Colossal. Then Smaug. All the while, her face remained cold and stern.

"You two. You both will come with me. Your pokémon as well." Turning back to the crowd, she gave them a single clap and they all began to disperse.

"Um… are we in trouble?" Heather asked, sheepishly.

"Come. Now." The old woman motioned to them to follow her.

The way they saw it, they had no choice. They could try and leave, but with the two elite dragon tamers by her side, both knew better. Cody looked over at Brooke, who stood a few yards away. She mouthed the words "go, I'll be fine," to him, and he nodded. He figured she was right about that.

Just be honest. Explain it was a mistake and they'll let you go. He reluctantly followed the elderly woman, matching her slow pace. As they walked, he looked over at Heather and gave her a nod, but he knew they both had Butterfree in their stomachs.

The building they were brought to looked to be the oldest in the pit, as the slowly crumbling stones were bleached from centuries of exposure to the blazing sun. But the inside was a polar opposite: dark and full of scented smoke. It was big enough to comfortably the large Garchomp that slept in the corner with a sleepy looking Bagon by its side. The only source of light were the dozens of lit, melting candles scattered across the walls of the room. In the center of the room was a table that sat only inches above the ground with several cushions surrounding it. Was it a meditation room? A tea room? The setting felt so intimate, but while the room was small, it didn't feel cramped with the dragon who slumbered in the corner, the five trainers who entered, and the two pokémon that followed.

"Have a seat," one of Kaida's elite instructed. Both of the elite tamers took their seats on the left and right of the table. Cody and Heather took their seats on the cushions closest to the door and their pokémon, Colossal and Smaug, sat by their sides. Slowly, Master Kaida sat down on her cushion across the table, cross-legged. The moments that followed were silence. Even the breathing of all in the room seemed to emit no noise. One could almost hear the candles flicker.

Finally, the elderly dragon tamer spoke.

"Tea?"

"Um… Sure. I mean, yes! Yes. Tea sounds… tea sounds good," Cody stuttered nervously, wiping a few drops of sweat from his forehead. Being in the presence of a former champion who invited both him, his friend, and their monsters into her private quarters shook Cody to his core. While he wasn't much of a tea drinker, he would have chugged a gallon of the stuff before he'd insult a woman of such wisdom and experience.

"Very well." Slowly and methodically, she prepared the tea. They sat in silence as she spent several minutes preparing a cup for each human in the circle. It was entrancing to watch, albeit slightly boring, but the two outsiders had enough grace to remain silent. Finally, when the tea was prepared, Kaida gave a quick clap. The Bagon suddenly stood up and rushed over to the table, where he hopped to the center so gracefully that the cups didn't even rattle. The little dragon spit a tiny ember into each cup, the flames sizzling in the cups as the fire and liquid met. Each cup produced a small trail of steam that floated upwards. Then, the Bagon jumped from the table and ran back to his corner.

"Drink. It will not burn you," the elder ordered. Each human at the table took a sip of the tea, almost simultaneously. Cody was surprised at how much he liked this tea. Maybe it was the way it was prepared? Regardless, he gave the dragon master a nod.

"Thank you. It's very good," he said in a voice just barely above a whisper.

"Give these to your pokémon," Kaida instructed, placing two purple cubes before the trainers. "They're pokéblocks. Specifically made for dragon-types."

But Colossal… He didn't question it. Both he and Heather handed the cubes to their monsters. The Pupitar delicately took the cube from his trainer's hand and swallowed it in one gulp.

"You are probably wondering why we brought you two here. You two are outsiders, after all. Outsiders who have come to our land on a holy day, no less."

"Oh god, look, we didn't-" Heather blurted out desperately, but the former champion silenced her by holding up her hand.

"Neither of you are in trouble. It would benefit nobody to punish either of you, as you had no ill intentions." She sighed, taking another sip of her tea. "Jace means well. We have had numerous problems with those who treated our land and the pokémon who live here carelessly. He is, however, fiery, to say the least. So long as you continue to respect our clan, you will have nothing to fear."

Cody nodded. He didn't think they would be punished for what was clearly an accident, but the reassurance was nice. "It won't happen again. I never meant to disrespect Jace or anybody here. It was an accident."

The old woman shook her head and stared deeper into his eyes. "I don't believe in accidents."

"Sorry?" Cody asked. What did she mean by that? In a way, Kaida sort of reminded him of Madame Stella with her crypticness, although she was hardly repulsive or creepy. And unlike Stella, she gave a clear explanation of what she meant.

"The champion before my reign, Joshua Lord, was one of the most powerful trainers that I have ever faced. In my first attempt to become champion, I lost to him in the fifth and final round. My Garchomp and his Silvally were the final two battlers left and they fought toe to toe. In the final moments of the fight, I called for my Garchomp to use Dragon Rage, but he misheard me and used Dragon Rush instead. The Silvally countered this approach with a Double Edge and I lost the battle." She paused, smiling to herself. One would think that that old memory wouldn't have been pleasant to recall, but she didn't seem to think so. "I thought that it was an accident; that this accident was the difference between my victory and my defeat. But with time, I came to understand that had I won that day, we would not have reigned as champion for as long as we had. The loss gave us a chance to learn; a chance to grow."

"With all due respect, I don't understand what you're getting at," Cody admitted sheepishly. He was afraid that this would be seen as disrespectful, but to his relief, Kaida replied with a light chuckle.

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. You coming here out of wonder for our culture on the holiest day of our year… that was no accident, whether it was your intention to show up on the day of the Ascension or not. You two showed promise as trainers in your battle, lopsided as it was in your favor. You two may not be dragon tamers, but you carry yourselves as powerful trainers should. And your pokémon have learned from your composure. I truly believe that both of you being here was fate. And so, I will give unto you and your pokémon an opportunity that I do not give away so lightly."

"A… an opportunity?" Heather asked, her voice shaking. She still seemed nervous, even though she had no repercussions to fear.

"Tell me," Kaida began again, "what do you know of the Ascension?"

The Ascension… that's what today is, right? Cody had no idea what that meant, and his expression must have shown it.

"For our clan, the Ascension is the day in which one of the sons of ancient Solomon begins to bestow a great gift upon those he deems worthy: the power gift of the stars. The young dragons with potential that he accepts gain a chance to become masters in battle. And when they emerge from the earth below, they will eventually have the ability to bring this power to battle. Do you know what that ability is?"

Could it be? "Draco Meteor?" Cody asked softly. That had to be it. It was an ancient technique that only dragons could use. It was a move that no pokémon could learn naturally, save the beasts of legend. Now he was really kicking himself for not buying that Swablu. He would probably have had to evolve it by then, but still, it would have been a chance.

"Correct. We do not believe in hoarding power amongst our clan. A trainer who devotes him or herself to the craft of battling is respected, regardless of whether he or she is one of us or not. While we chose pokémon within our clan to receive this gift, we also offer the gift to others whom we deem worthy. No outsiders have been chosen this year… we were to begin the ceremony without them. But just hours before the ceremony began, you two have arrived and respectfully demonstrated your strength. That cannot be a coincidence."

"Master," one of the elite tamers calmly implored, "these trainers are talented, but we hardly know them. How do we know that they would not use the gift of Solomon for pure purposes?"

"Your concern is well-intentioned," Kaida affirmed. "But I have battled trainers, both pure and tainted, for decades. While these two trainers are foreign to us and our culture, their pokémon and their composure speak volumes for their character. In battle, they were fierce and formidable. But here, they are calm and contemplative. Perhaps they understand the sanctity of this land as well."

She seemed to be right, as both Colossal and Smaug sat by their trainers' sides without making a noise. For the Pupitar, this was normal, as he was always quiet and observant. But Heather's Vibrava was another story. While not unruly, the buggish-dragon had always been a touch hyperactive since evolving with his non-stop buzzing about. But he was strangely quiet and respectful in the darkened room.

"We will take these two," Kaida said, nodding towards the two young pokémon. "Should you consent and should the son of Solomon deem them acceptable, they will begin training. Learning the technique takes time, however. Should you choose not to accept this offer, you would not offend us. We leave this choice to you and your pokémon."

Cody couldn't believe what he was being offered. He knew that there were non-tamers that had pokémon with Draco Meteor, but such privilege was typically extended to powerful trainers who had earned a clan's respect. And this woman considered both Heather and himself, two five-badge, outsiders, worthy of this gift, all because she believed in fate or whatever it was that she had said. He hadn't expected this. He had never guessed that his educational visit would lead him to access such power. He couldn't say he believed in fate, but being offered this opportunity was beyond his comprehension. But there was one problem: he had no dragons or pokémon that one day would become dragons.

"This gift… I don't believe that I've done anything to deserve it," Cody admitted humbly. "But I cannot accept it. I have no dragons with me." He noticed that she had referenced Colossal. Certainly, a dragon expert would know that. "Colossal isn't-"

"You're right." The elderly woman stood up and walked around the short table, kneeling next to Colossal. "There are variants of the Larvitar line that have retained their dragon-typing, but they are rare. Almost extinct, actually. But while this Pupitar has lost that element, inside, beats the heart of a dragon. Long ago, the sand dragons roamed the deserts, far more southern than this region extends. Over time, they lost their typing in the species' evolution, but the blood of dragons still runs through their veins." She touched the pupa on what would have been his forehead and nodded again. "He can learn the ability, but his window of opportunity is closing."

"What? I- I didn't think that was possible," Cody admitted. There was a famous televised bout from the Johto league a few years back where a challenging trainer's Smeargle copied one of the champion's Dragonite's Draco Meteor with Sketch and tried to use it against his foe. Cody just figured that that was the one in a million exception in terms of non-dragon-types using the move.

"My Gyarados knows it," the old woman said with a smirk. "But as I said before, his window of opportunity is closing. The process of learning the move is strenuous enough to begin with, but it will be even more rigorous for a pokémon who's typing has become… diluted," Kaida said, choosing her words carefully. "He must learn to become a dragon again. But the reason a Tyranitar hasn't used the move in centuries… A typical Pupitar's remains in a pupated state for roughly two years before reaching his final form. But once he evolves, it will be too late for him to learn what it truly means to be a dragon. He will still be powerful; he won't necessarily need this strength to be a titan among his peers. But he will have lost his chance. If he begins his training too late in this stage even, it will be too late to learn. And even then, he will never be able to harness the power of the stars until he has reached his final form. If you would like him to learn this technique, you must make a decision soon. He doesn't have the time that your friend's Vibrava."

So much I didn't know. It was far more complicated than a "dragons only" rule that he figured nature imposed. But by the sounds of what Master Kaida was saying, this would take some time.

"How long would this training take? How long will we need to be here?" Helping Colossal achieve such power would be a wise investment, but could he afford to fall behind in collecting badges? He could train with the other tamers, sure, but he couldn't imagine that all of them would be cool with outsiders hanging around.

"The Ascension ends when the son of Solomon rises from the earth below," Master Kaida answered cryptically. "He typically returns from the chambers in April, his pupils following him."

Seven months? What would we even be doing for seven months?

"It is a journey that your pokémon have to take alone, however," Kaida continued.

"Wait, I don't understand," Heather finally piped in, pulling Smaug close to her. "We can't train with them?"

"To gain the true power of dragons, a dragon must be in the presence of dragons and dragons alone," Kaida explained. "The son of Solomon will lead twelve pupils into the chambers below the pit. These chambers extend for miles below the surface. I've been told by the Latios that once lived here that there is a chamber below that is even greater in size than the pit itself. However, no human has never laid eyes on it, out of respect for the sanctity of the dragons who were here before us. There, the dragons will eat, drink, meditate, and battle. Their experience will be harsh, but they will all emerge stronger. Having trained in near darkness, their other senses will improve tenfold. Pure dragons will be able to use the ability right away, but others will have to wait until they are ready. It is a journey that they must take alone in order grow as individuals. And when they emerge again, they will be stronger from the experience. Do you understand"

No Colossal for seven months? Cody could barely imagine losing his third pokémon and one of his strongest battlers for that long of a time. Would he be able to handle the training? Could he do it without his trainer? Before Cody had met him, he was so cowardly. Could he handle things without his trainer's guidance? Could Cody handle not having one of his closest pokémon by his side for that long?

Yes… It was one thing for a pokémon to be strong with his trainer. But to become strong on his own would only offer him more growth. Now would be the time for that. Colossal was still young and eager to learn. Cody knew that his pokémon could handle whatever harsh conditions awaited him below. The question was whether or not his pokémon would want to go. Wouldn't he miss his trainer? Would he even understand what was going on? While his intelligence would expand upon his next evolution, he currently had a brain similar to any other animal. But there was something in Colossal's eyes. The Pupitar was now looking at his trainer and humming a slow hum that could only be felt through the vibrations in the floor. Maybe he didn't know exactly what was going in, but perhaps he could recognize the sacredness of the land he rested on like Kaida had said.

"Is this what you want?" he asked.

"Hoooome." The blue-shelled pupa hummed as he tilted forth and back once, almost as if he were nodding.

"He has made his choice," Kaida said, smiling. She rested her hand atop the pokémon's blue, spiked shell. "The rest is up to you."

She didn't need to ask. He was ready to honor his pokémon's decision.

The walk through the forest was silent, as all the trainers, led by Master Kaida and her elite, said little to nothing. Each of the twelve pokémon chosen for Ascension walked (or in Colossal's case, hopped) alongside their trainers. Most of them were young dragon-types, although an adult Haxorus was the outlier among them. The only other non-dragon type was a young Charmander who looked as if he had just hatched from an egg, as he was barely even a foot tall. Could such a small pokémon survive the supposed harsh conditions? Cody guessed the dragon tamers knew what they were doing. Jace and his Druddigon were there too. Surprisingly, despite his attitude towards Cody earlier, he hardly passed him a single glance. Maybe he was trying to ignore his presence entirely?

Heather had allowed her Vibrava to be among the chosen. The little dragonfly-ish pokémon walked by his trainer's side, still uncharacteristically calm. Heather herself looked like a nervous wreck. Everything had happened so fast that day that and she was still trying to process it, he figured. He was nervous too and he wished Brooke was there to calm his nerves, but the ceremony was for the chosen twelve, their trainers, Master Kaida, and her elite only, so Brooke had to stay back in town.

"What do you think it will be like?" Heather finally asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"I bet it will be really ritualistic. Everybody's dressed up except us," Cody mentioned, looking at the others. All the other trainers were dressed in traditional dragon tamer garb, save Master Kaida, who wore more simple clothing. Meanwhile, Cody and Heather were wearing their traveling outfits. They stuck out like sore thumbs, but nobody seemed to care.

"Do you think they'll be okay down there?" Heather asked, looking down at Smaug and frowning. "They said it was difficult."

"Master Kaida says that no pokémon has ever died in the cave… Some fail to finish their training, but those ones just come back out. Supposedly, there's always somebody on watch around where the cave is, so they'll see if anything comes back." He knew Colossal would be sturdy enough to survive in the vast underground, but looking at the Pupitar, he didn't see any difference in his composure. Hopefully, his monster knew what he was getting into.

Nobody had to announce that they had arrived, as it was evident where they were once they entered the clearing. Like the town, the sight was picturesque. There was a large, ash-colored rock sitting in the middle of the clearing, shaped like a half-sphere, but it wasn't shaped quite so evenly and it looked almost… otherworldly. It definitely wasn't from the Pit. Surrounding the rock was a pool of crystal clear water, supplied from a small waterfall thirty yards away. The pool of water was gentle and was only about three inches deep, and the water that passed was slow and gentle. Beyond the spherical rock was a gaping mouth of a cave within the side of a protruding hill. The mouth was big enough that a Wailord could fit through if it wanted to. But none of the attractive scene mattered compared to the beast who sat atop the rock.

It was a Salamence. But everything about the dragon was even grander than all the Salamence that they had passed on their way through the pit. This Salamence was of immense size. According to the brochure, this Salamence had the "gargantuan gene", a rare genetic condition that not only led to increased size but also a greatly increased lifespan. And Salamence already had a similar lifespan length compared to the Squirtle evolutionary line. This beast was curled up on the rock looked like it may have been twenty-five feet from head to tail and its skin was a pale blue, having faded from years of exposure to the sun. Its magnificent red wings had also faded to a soft pink, and like its skin, they were covered with scars. The dragon had seen a lot. Considering that the Pit was a hotspot for poachers, perhaps it had been a frequent target? When the Salamence opened its eyes, it observed the group of humans and pokémon a kind and patient stare. If those deep, charcoal eyes could talk, the stories they would tell...

"That's… that's the son of Solomon?" Cody breathed in awe.

"Technically, that's a bit of a misnomer," the tamer next to him, a tanned-skin, balding man in his forties whispered back to him. "It's one of his descendants. Not all of Solomon's children expressed the gargantuan gene, but the ones who did are the ones who have watched over this place."

Then the descendent stood on his hind legs on his rock, his imposing size leading Cody to shiver, although the pokémon still gave off an aura of gentleness. Cody looked around to see that most of the pokémon had taken on slightly submissive postures. Colossal even seemed to be bowing his shelled-body in reverence. It was Kaida who stepped forth into the pool of water and knelt. All of the tamers knelt on the earth surrounding the pool, so Cody and Heather followed.

"Son of the mighty Solomon!" the dragon master called out. "On this day, the Ascension, we bring unto you new servants of the Aekoa Clan! We implore that you teach them the ways of the ancient dragons and allow them to access the power of the stars!"

"ROOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHRRRR!" The mighty Salamence had tilted his head to the sky and let out an ear-splitting roar that could have been heard from miles away. Up close, it was deafening enough that most of the humans covered their ears in a kneejerk reaction while the much smaller pokémon below cowered in fear. The Salamence's roar lasted for about ten seconds before he stopped, lowered himself onto his four feet, and looked peaceful again as if he hadn't just shaken the earth with his loud voice. Then, he slowly descended from his rock. When his feet touched the water, he barely made any ripples. Somehow, this huge and powerful dragon was simultaneously so gentle.

Once standing in the pool, the son of Solomon looked over at the first pokémon on the far left, a tiny, quivering Dratini, and appeared to give it a beckoning nod. Slowly, the fearful pokémon slithered into the water and up to the behemoth. The Salamence lowered his head to the Dratini's level and made eye contact. The smaller pokémon wouldn't stop shivering, but the bigger dragon was not perturbed. Instead, he delicately touched the tip of his nose against the Dratini's. It seemed pretty apparent that the little dragon had been approved. It was then that the fear in the Dratini's eyes faded.

Next was the baby Charmander. The minuscule fire-type carefully tiptoed through the water, taking care to keep his burning tail above the water. Like the Dratini, the Charmander looked terrified until it was approved by the son of Solomon. The third pokémon, another Dratini, went through the same motions. So did the following Goomy, Gabite, and Bagon. Even the formidable looking Haxorus looked intimidated, facing off with the beastly pokémon that dwarfed him in size.

"Does anybody not get approved?" Cody whispered over to the tan-skinned trainer. They were all still kneeling and he was probably being disrespectful for asking right then, but the tamer gave him an answer regardless.

"Rarely. We all should be okay though. Only Aekoa members who have reached the rank of master can recommend a pokémon for the Ascension and they're good at picking out candidates. Kaida does it based off of a pokémon's potential to be a powerful battler. But the son may still disapprove on her judgments. It's rare, but it happens more often than not with non-dragon types."

That made Cody's stomach flip. Heart of a dragon or not, Colossal didn't have the typing. But if that baby Charmander could get in, couldn't his Pupitar?

Another Bagon stepped forth and was approved. Jace's Druddigon and the tan tamer's Jangmo-o did the same with the same results following. Finally, the Salamence called forth Heather's Vibrava. Smaug looked absolutely petrified by the son's size, lowering himself into the water as he sat still in front of the beast. This time, the Salamence acted slightly differently. He began sniffing the Vibrava who trembled beneath his snout. It was possible that the bigger dragon recognized that this Vibrava was an outsider. He seemed to contemplate his approval longer than with the others, but ultimately, he accepted the Vibrava, pressing his nose against the smaller monster's head.

Finally, it was Colossal's turn. The Pupitar hopped forward, creating little splashes with every bounce. Cody held his breath and cringed a little harder with each hop. What if that was the reason that no Tyranitar had learned Draco Meteor in so many years? What if the Pupitar's necessary bouncing and disturbance of the water displeased the teacher? Thankfully, the Salamence did not seem bothered by the splashing, but neither Cody nor his pokémon was calm, as they both were shaking like leaves. It was as if his Pupitar was the frightened Larvitar he used to be all over again.

Like with Smaug, the pale Salamence sniffed the Pupitar, recognizing him as a foreigner. The Salamence pulled his head back and made eye contact with his possible disciple. Something about the look he gave the trembling Pupitar did not look so kind in comparison to the looks he gave the others. Maybe the splashing had offended him after all? Maybe it was because Colossal was an outsider? No, so was Smaug, and the son of Solomon seemed to like him alright. Maybe it was because he wasn't a dragon-type. But the Charmander wasn't either. Perhaps it was a combination of all those things.

"Rooooh," the Salamence groaned lowly.

"Hoooooooome," Colossal hummed back.

Shit, don't talk back to him! He had no idea what the two were saying to each other, but he had feared the worse for nothing. He touched his nose against the top of Colossal's shell. He had been chosen. And once more, the Salamence roared, shaking the earth even more violently than before.

"ROOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHRRRR!"

"The Ascension has begun!" Master Kaida called out to the crowd of trainers.

And that was when it hit him. Seven months. He wouldn't see his pokémon for about seven months. He knew that that was a long time beforehand, but how long that would be… not only would he lose one of his best pokémon for the next gym or two, but he would also lose one of his closest friends. Could Colossal survive down there? Did he truly know what he was getting himself into?

"Say your goodbyes. Once they enter the cave, you won't see them for some time," the Master reminded them.

The other tamers began saying goodbye to their dragons in their own special way. Heather embraced her Vibrava, whispering sweet words in his ear. Cody knelt down to Colossal, who had returned to his side and held his forehead against his Pupitar's.

"You… you can still change your mind if you want. Just… just give me a sign if you don't want to."

Colossal didn't respond. He just stood there, motionlessly against Cody's touch.

"Okay. You can leave whenever you want, you know. They said that you… do you even understand me?"

"Hooooome!" the pupa hummed.

"Right…" Cody kissed the Pupitar on his stone forehead. "You be careful down there. I'll be back when you return. You, I, and the others… we'll be champions someday. I promise."

"Not if we beat you to it," Heather commented from a few feet away. She laughed, but she was wiping a tear from her eye as she cuddled her Vibrava.

"Don't listen to her, she's all talk," Cody said, laughing and trying to hold back any tears he may have had. Cody embraced his Pupitar one last time and stood up. "I'll see you soon. Give 'em hell."

The blue-shelled pupa didn't say anything in response. He stared at his trainer for what seemed like an eternity before tilting his shell forth and back in a single nod. He turned around and faced the Salamence who stood in the pool. Joining the group of dragons who stood behind him, they followed the son of Solomon towards the cave.

"They'll be fine. He's sturdy. Strong," the elderly Kaida assured both Cody and Heather. "I wouldn't have chosen them if they couldn't handle the training."

"How will we know when to come back?" Heather asked, wiping away a tear. "This place is off the grid for pokémon transfers."

"Correct," Kaida said, nodding. "Even if it was, the 'claim' that their pokeballs have on them will be broken by the end of the week. You'll need to return and catch them again, because we won't do it for you. Liability purposes and whatnot. We will contact you when the time comes for you to return. Until you do return, we will allow your pokémon to reside here in the Pit."

"Thank you," both Cody and Heather whispered simultaneously.

The old woman smiled. "Do not thank me. Give thanks to the son of Solomon when he returns from below. For he was the one who chose your pokémon to receive this gift." The old woman walked away to go comfort a very young trainer who was sobbing as she watched her Dratini depart.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," rang a familiar voice. Cody turned to see Jace, who was looking far more solemn than earlier. "They were pretty strong."

"Yeah…" Cody replied, matching the tone. "No hard feelings about earlier, right?"

"I won't lie to you, I disagree with sharing this power among non-tamers," Jace admitted, frowning. "I think it's dangerous. That being said, Master Kaida is my elder, and she's very wise, so I respect her decisions. So, yes… I guess there are no hard feelings. But when you return here, I will defeat you in battle. Someday, I might be in a position of power here and this place is worth protecting."

"I see…" That was good as things were gonna get from Jace, Cody figured, as the other boy walked away. But now, the old Salamence had reached the edge of the cave. Turning to Heather, he asked, "why do they call it the Ascension, anyway? They're going underground. Wouldn't 'Descension' make more sense?"

"I don't know, Cody, maybe it has to do with the fact that the move they're learning involves forming meteors?" Heather said, answering the question with a question. "Power of the stars, stars are 'up', I guess…"

"Yeah, makes sense." He was only trying to distract himself from the fact that his pokémon was almost out of sight.

"Are we just insanely lucky or something?" Heather asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we just happened to arrive on one of the most important ceremonial days of the this clan's year and there just happened to be two openings waiting for us. What if we had arrived here a day earlier or a day later? What if you had seen that part of the brochure about the days they don't allow visitors and decided not to come today? What if those two spots were already filled? Why weren't they filled to begin with? Were there not enough worthy visitors this year or something? What if we had just turned around and decided not to accept Jace's challenge? What if…" She paused, looking away from the departing pokémon to her best friend. "What if I had gone off with Jared and missed this? Smaug may never have gotten a chance like this again."

"Yeah, what if," Cody repeated out loud. "The way I see it, one little change would have left us with a different outcome. Maybe that's why Master Kaida believes in fate." Or maybe it was just random. It was like how Darkrai had once told him that life wasn't fair and that all the misfortune in the universe was brought on by happenstance. But he didn't say that. Whether it was fate or an extremely lucky roll of the dice, he felt fortunate, not for himself, but for Colossal, who would unlock a power lost to years of evolution. What an opportunity that was for what once was a cowardly, little Larvitar.

Colossal was the last pokémon to enter the cave, but before he disappeared into the darkness, he stopped. Cody hoped that his Pupitar would turn around and give him one last look, but he was glad that the pokémon didn't. It would have made things that much harder. One more hop and Colossal had disappeared, not to re-emerge for seven months.

Cody took Colossal's pokéball in his hands. He decided that he'd buy his pokémon a new one upon returning. Maybe a luxury ball to reward him for his training. Those were supposed to be top quality. But that's when he saw that every tamer had left their pokeballs on the ground, and he figured out why: for the time being, they were nobody's pokémon. They had left to enter a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. And upon their return, they would be dragons. True dragons. So like the dragon tamers, the two outsiders followed their lead and left their pokémon's empty pokeballs on the ground. Somebody on watch would pick them up later, he assumed, but for the time being, the symbolic action helped him. He had set his third pokémon free. When the two would meet again, each would look unrecognizable to the other from his own personal hardships that were to follow.

"But Charizard and Tyranitar aren't dragons!"

If you were going to post that or something similar, I got you covered, friends. But seriously, new chapter coming out soon (I hope). Until next time!